Controller for automatic railways.



No. 830,472. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906.

. B. F. CARPENTER. CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12,1904.

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No. 830,472. PATENTED SEPT. 4, 1906 B. P. CARPENTER.

CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAYS.

' APPLICATION FILED MAYIZ, 1904.

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N0- 830,472. P'AIENTED SEPT. 4:, 1906. B. F..GARPENTER. CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC RAILWAYST Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed May 12, 1904. Serial No. 207,561.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. CARPEN- TER, a citizen of the United States, whose residence and post-oflice address is 132 Chestnut street, Roselle Park, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controllers for Automatic Railways, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The present invention relates to a controller for automatic mechanism, a part of which mechanism requires to be moved at irregular intervals to permit the operation of some other part and is then moved back to its primary position.

The controller is shown herein applied to a pneumatic railway for moving a switch or door and holding the same in its shifted position while a car is passing over a so-called danger-section whenever one car is succeeded so quickly by another as to prevent the despatch of the cars in different directions. The cars under this arrangement both pass over the switch alike, and any accident is prevented which would be caused by the later car meeting a switch when partially opened or closed.

The operation of the controller is terminated when all cars have passed from that portion of the track termed the danger-section. So long as one .car is upon the dangersection the controller prevents the restoration of such switch or door to its primary po sition. The controller is preferably used in connection with a shifter operated indirectly by the moving car and having a detachable engagement with the body to be moved, as a switchor door, and the controller operates while the car is upon the danger-section to hold the shifter out of engagement with such body, so that any 0 erationof the shifter by a succeeding car as no effect upon the switch or door' The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1' is a perspective View of a switch moving and locking device provided with the controller. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the controller set by an electrical solenoid to prevent the operation of the shifter. Fig. 3 is a plan of the same with the controller retracted by a reversing magnet or solenoid to permit the operation of the shifter and switch by a passing car. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the controller with the shifter in section detached from the stud upon the drawbar lever. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the latch and its guides with a section of the lock-bar and draw-bar. Fig. 6 is a plan of portion of a pneumatic railway with the improvements applied to a switch and door therein. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the lock-bar and draw-bar in the position to which they are moved by the shifter, and Fig. 8 is an elevation of the same parts in the reverse position.

Referring to the pneumatic railway in Fig.

5, A designates the walls of a pneumatic tube or tunnel, and a branch tube with walls A is shown upon a track 0 leading into a station. Only a single track is shown for cars traveling in one direction, as indicated by the arrows. A tread-lever B is shown between the rai's C in the tube to be moved by a wheel suitably set upon a passing car to depress such lever and operate a switch-shifter D by connections E. The branch track is designated C, and a door K is shown hinged to cover the mouth of the branch tunnel A. A

portion of the rails, formed into a movable frame F, is shown pivoted in the tube A by bolt F to switch the car upon the rails C when required. The part F is termed the switch herein. An insulated section L is shown upon the rails C in the main tube preceding the switch P, the opposite rails ofsuch sections being connected by electrical conductors M with an electromagnet N, which operates the controller in one direction. In-

sulated sections L are shown upon the main and branch tracks C and C and connected by conductors l with an electromagnet N, which operates the controller in the 0 posite direction. The wheels and axles o o' a car truck are shown upon these insulated sec tions to illustrate the closing of the circuit which energizes one or other of the magnets. The switch F is shown connected with the shifter D by a lock-bar a, a draw-bar b, and a lever 0, having a stud 0, arranged to make a detachable engagement with the shifter D. The controller is shown as a guard-bar (Z, having a slot.e therein to loosely embrace the stud 0 upon the lever c and connected to an armature n, which reciprocates within solenoid magnet-coils N N; The parts named are shown mounted upon a bed-plate J. The

guard-bar is formed with wedges (1 upon its upper surface, adapted to crowd beneath the shifter D and to lift the same from engagement with the stud when the switch is to be safe uarded.

The ever 0 is connected with the switch by a lock=bar and draw-bar to furnish a means of automatically locking the switch when set in its open or closed position. The lock-bar a is furnished with transverse notches a and a to which a latch Z is fitted and pressed normally into the notch by spring Z. The bars are carried by guides g, and the drawbar I) is secured movably upon the lock-bar by a bolt b, extended through a slot 6 upon the draw-bar. The draw-bar is provided with inclined faces 0, adapted, when the draw-bar is pushed or pulled, to lift the latch from the notch in the lock-bar while the slot moves upon the bolt 6 and thereafter to push or pull the lock-bar forcibly to move the switch, door, or other body to which it may be attached. The lever c is linked to the draw-bar and provided with stud 0, projected through a slot h in the shifter. The shifter is guided by means of other slots 'L, fitted to stationary bolts j, which are carried by bosses is upon the bed-plate. Springs 7c are fitted to the bolts above the shifter to press the shifter normally down upon the bosses, and the stud c is formed, as shown in Fig. 4, with a notch m adjacent to its upper end, to which a wedge m in one end of the slot it upon the shifter is fitted, and the top of the stud adjacent to the notch is beveled, so that the wedge may readilyslip over the same if lifted a little. A spring 19 is attached to the shifter to draw it normally in opposition to the movement produced by the treadlever B and connections E, as shown in Fig. 3, and the movement of the shifter by the tread-lever operates normally to engage the wedge with the head of the stud and move the lever c and the attached draw-bar and the body to which it may be connected.

It is obvious that a slight liftin of the shifter in opposition to the springs IF would prevent the shifter from operating the lever and draw-bar. The guard-bar d is supported in guides 1 upon the bed and provided upon the side next the shifter with wedges 61, adapted, when forced under the shifter, to lift the same and render it inoperative, such action being one of the functions of the controller. The reverse movement of the guardbar first retracts the wedges, so that the shifter drops to its normal level, in which it can engage the stud c and reverse the switch-lever 0, when the shifter is again moved. The guard-bar is coupled to the armature n, which is so fitted to the solenoidcoils N N as to be reciprocated by the latter under certain conditions. The armature Will stand in any position to which it may be se m . are energized. When the lever c is moved by the shifter, the stud c presses against one end of the slot 6, and the guard-bar then moves freely to the position shown in Fig. 2. The energizing of the solenoid N operates, when the guard-bar is in this position, to pull the end of the slot 6 against the stud and shift the lever (per arrow .9 in Fig. 3) so as to move the draw-bar in the direction of the arrow 8. The operation of the solenoids upon the armature is at first weak, but increases toward the end of the stroke, as also the momentum of the armature and guardbar, to which it is attached, and the slot e in the guard-bar is made of sufficient length to permit somefree movement of the guard-bar before it exerts any force upon the stud or shifter. It then moves the lever by impact with the stud. The first effect of this movement is to lift the latch Z by the inclineo, and thus permit the lock-bar to move freely. A spring I is shown in Fig. 6 to shift the switch into line with the rails C, and when the lockbar is released the spring operates to instantly restore the switch and lever to their primary position. The solenoid N simultaneously moves the lever 0 so as to assist in closing the'switch. The latch Z then reengages the lock-bar to hold the switch from.

accidental displacement until the draw-bar is again actuated. The tread-lever B is kept normally raised by suitable means, so that when the lever is not depressed the spring p holds the shifter in readiness to move the lever c. The slots i restrict the movements of the shifter within certain limits, and the slot h is made of such length that the shifter never operates to reverse the position of the lever.

With the parts arranged as shown in Fig. 3 the operation is as follows: A car passing over the tread-lever B pulls the shifter D, opens the switch F, and the latch Z then engages the lock-bar and holds the switch 111 line with the branch track C. The 1novement of the car away from the tread-lever permits the lever to immediately rise and the shifter to regain itsinitialposition, (shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6,) while the leverCremains in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The movement of the car over the insulated rails L closes a circuit through the solenoid N and advances the guard-bar so as to thrust the wedges d beneath the shifter. This raises the shifter into the position shown in Fig. 4,

IIO

in which it is held by the shifter when the car I operate to regulate the movement of more passes away from the iiisulated section L and the solenoid N loses its energy. The pasr sage of the car over the branch track brings it to the insulated section L, where it closes the circuit through the solenoid N and draws the guard-bar d backwardly. This movement soon brings the end of the slot 6 into contact with the stud 0 and shifts the lever sufficiently to raise the latch Z. This sets the lock-bar free and permits the spring I to set the switch again in line with the main rails 0.,

The car is thus automatically switched into a section and the track automatically restored to its primary condition for the passage of other cars. Should the passing car be destined for another station, the treadlever B would not be energized; but the movement of the car over theinsulated rails L merely operates the guard-bar, raises the shifter, and prevents interference with the switch until the car has passed away from the danger-station. A rod p is shown attached to the shifter D in Fig. 3, by which the motion may be conveyed to another shifter, if desired, to move another object, as a door or signal. Such second shifter would be provided with a guard-bar or controller spring-coil are shown actuated as already described, and thus controlled in the manner desired. The controller may be used to simultaneously regulate the movement of other agencies besides the switch, and to illustrate such operation a connection If is shown extended from the lever c to the crank of a pneumatic three-way valve 25, which valve supplies air to a pneumatic cylinder 1" for opening the door K by connection with an arm r, attached to the spindle or hinge-pin of'the door. The valve in oneposition vents the cylinder 7. The pneumatic valve is shown connected with a pipe u to supply air under-pressure, and the hinge-pin of the door is in practice provided with a spiral spring to hold the door normally closed. The opposite ends w and w of the pressed, respectively, against the back of the door and the adjacent wall of the tunnel, and dotted lines as and K i show the movement of the door and of the arm r when opening and closing. With this construction the shifting of the lever c to open the switch also pulls the rod or connection t and opens the pneumatic v valve, so that the pressure of air in the cylinder 1" may open the door K. The air-pressure continues in the cylinder 1' as long as the valve tremains open, and the door is thus held open until the lever c is shifted to a reverse position by the movement of the car to the track-section L The shifting of the valve then vents the cylinder r, and the spring operates to close the door K at the same time that the switch is moved back to the main-line rails. This illustration shows how the controller may than one agency; but it will also be understood that the door K or a signal or a door in -the pneumatic tube may be provided independently with the controlling apparatus, by

which it may be opened and closed when the car passes on and off of a danger-section.

From the above description it will be seen that any section of a railway containing a switch, door, signal, or other part to be set in a definite position may be converted into a so-called danger-section by insulating the rails in the manner described and connecting them with a controller which prevents the shifting of the switch, gate, or other movable part while a car is upon such danger-section. The part which operates as the controller in the construction described is the guard-bar (Z, which operates upon the. shifter D to detach it from engagement with the body to be moved; but the construction of such parts may be varied without departing from my invention, as the essential feature of the invention is a shifter having a detachable engagement with the body to be moved and means actuated by the moving car or other analogous part for disengaging the shifter from the body. It will also be seen that the movable part, as a switch or gate, which is related to a definite section of the rails to be set in a definite position may be actuated by any suitable motor agent, with means actuated by the moving car for initiating the movement of such motor agent and a controller actuated independently by the moving car while on such danger-section to prevent the resetting of such movable part; The movable part may be moved by a tread-le ver, which, with the weight of the car, then forms the motor agent, or the movable part may be moved by electric agency or by pneumatic power, as the motor agent for setting such movable part is wholly immaterial, provided its movement is initiated by the moving car. It is also essential that the moving car shall after it passes the danger section operate other means for releasing the movable part, as a switch or gate, and resetting the same in its primary position.

The controller operates when used to control the movement of a switch or door as a railway saftey appliance, and it will be understood that it guards the switch, door, or other moving body with which it may be connected by the positive automatic opera tion of the device independent of the presence of any operator, and it does not, therefore, require the exercise of any judgment on the part of an operator, which exercise might lead to an erroneous movement of the parts.

The electromagnetic devices are preferably actuated by a stationary generator or battery having a circuit to energize the magnet with which it is connected and such circuit having terminals in the path of a car upon therailway-track, so that a single conducting-piece upon the moving car may close the circuit through such terminals and positively energize the magnet by the mere movement of the car past such terminals.

In Fig. 6 the circuit-terminals are shown located in the insulated rails C, and the contact-piece consists of the car-axle v and its wheels, which form a single conductor extending between the two rails to connect the said terminals. I Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is- 1. The combination, with a body to be moved, of a shifter having a detachable engagement therewith, means for actuating the shifter to move the body, and a guard-bar with a magnet for operating the same to disengage the shifter from the body, whereby the movement of the body is controlled by the actuation of the magnet.

2. The combination, with a body to be moved, of a lever connected thereto and having a stud, a shifter having a detachable engagement with the stud, means for actuating the shifter to move the body, and a guardbar with a magnet for operating the same to disengage the shifter from the stud, whereby the movement of the body is controlled by the actuation of the magnet.

3. The combination, with the body to be moved, of a shifter having a detachable engagement therewith, means for actuating the shifter to move the body in one direction, a spring for returning the shifter to its initial position, and means, with a magnet, for oper ating the same, to disengage the shifter from the body.

4. The combination, with the body to be moved, of a shifter having a detachable engagement therewith, means for actuating the shifter to move the body in one direction, and a guard-bar with magnets for reciprocating the same and adapted when pulled in one direction to reverse the movement of the body and when pushed in the other direction to disengage the shifter from the body, substantially as herein set forth.

5. The combination, with the body to be moved, of a shifter having a detachable engagement therewith, a guard-bar arranged and operated to detach the shifter from the body, means operated mechanically to actuate the shifter and means operated electrically for actuating the release-bar.

6. The combination, with the body to be moved, of a shifter having a detachable enagement therewith, and mechanical means or actuating such shifter, a guard-bar arranged and operated to detach the shifter from the body, with electrical means for actuating the same, and the operation of such mechanical and electrical means effected successively by the same agent, as a moving car, whereby the body may be moved and the shifter detached therefrom at the close of such movement.

7. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a shifter having a detachable engagement with such body and mechanical means for actuating such shifter, a guard-bar to disengage the shifter from the body, and the operation of such mechanical and electrical means effected in quick succession by a moving car, to shift the switch or door and disengage the shifter therefrom to prevent the removement of the body while the car is on such danger-section, and a reversing-magnet to retract the guard-bar, with electrical connections to such reversing-magnet operated by the car near the close of the danger-section to retract the guard-bar and permit the reengagement of the shifter with the body.

8. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a shifter having a detachable engagement with such body and mechanical means for actuating such shifter, a guard-bar to disengage the shifter from the body, and the operation of such mechanical and electrical means effected in quick succession by a moving car, to shift the switch or door and disengage-the shifter therefrom to prevent the removement of the body while the car is on such danger-section, and a reversing-magnet to retract the guard-bar, with electrical connections to such reversing-magnet operated by the car immediately succeeding the dangersection, to retract the guard-bar and permit the rengagement of the shifter with the body, such guard-bar having a mechanical connection with the body to remove it to its initial position, in such reverse movement of the bar.

9. In a railway, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a sliding bar connected to such body and pro vided with a look, a draw-bar having means for disengaging the lock, a shifter adapted to move the draw-bar and means actuated by the moving car for effecting the movement of the shifter.

10. In a railway, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a sliding bar connected to such body and provided with a lock, a draw-bar having a slipjoint with the sliding bar and provided with means for disengaging the look, a shifter adapted to move the draw-bar with spring to hold it retracted, and means actuated by the moving car for temporarily effecting the movement of the shifter, whereby the switch or door may be moved and locked and the shifter restored automatically to its primary position.

11. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a'sliding bar connected to such body and provided with a look, a draw-bar having a slip-joint with the sliding bar and provided with means for dis engaging the look, a shifter adapted to move the draw-bar with spring to hold it retracted, means actuated by the moving car to safeguard the danger-section by temporarily effecting the movement of the shifter, and means actuated successively by the moving car for respectively reversing the movement of the draw-bar and restoring the switch or door to its primary position.

12. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a sliding bar connected to such body and provided with a look, a draw-bar having a slip-joint with the sliding bar and provided with means for disengaging the look, a shifter adapted to move the draw-bar with spring to hold it retracted, means actuated by the moving car to safeguard the danger-section by temporarily effooting the movement of the shifter, means with an electromagnet for operating the same, to reverse the movement of the drawbar, and electrical connections operated by the car immediately succeeding the dangersection for energizing such magnet and thereby restoring the switch or door to its primary position.

13. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, of a sliding bar actuated by the moving car in its advance to such switch or door for moving such body, a latch forlocking the slide-bar, and means operated by an electromagnet with a circuit operated by the car after passing such switch or door for moving the latch or slide-bar to shift the body to its primary position.

14. In a railway having so-called dangersections, the combination, with the body to be moved, as a switch or door, and a spring for holding the same normally in its primary position, means actuated by the moving car in its advance to such switch or door for moving such body, a latch for locking the same, and means operated by an electromagnet with a circuit operated by the car after pasing such switch or door for lifting the latch and permitting the spring to restore the switch or door to its primary position. i

15. In a railway having a so-called dangersection with a body therein, as a switch or door to be opened, the combination, with the switch or door, of a shifter having a detachable engagement therewith, means actuated by the moving car for operating the shifter to open said switch or door, a guard-bar adapted when movedin one direction to disengage the shifter from the switch or door, an electromagnet for thus operating the guard-bar, and electric connections operated by the car in its approach to such switch or door to energize such magnet, and a reversing-magnet adapted to reverse the movement of the guard-bar with electrical connections operated by the car after passing the switch or door, to energize such reverse-magnet.

16. In a railway having a so-called dangersection with a switch or door therein, and spring for holding the same normally closed, the combination, with such switch or door and its spring, of means, as a shifter, actuated by the moving car for opening the switch or door, a detachable connection between the shifter and the switch or door, a guard-bar for operating such detachable connection and an armature connected therewith, two solenoids for reciprocating such armature, electrical connections operated by the moving car respectively, when approaching and receding from the switch or door to energize the two solenoids, and the solenoid first energized operating to detach the shifter-bar and hold the armature and the guard-bar in opposition to the attraction of the other solenoid, until the circuit to the first solenoid be opened.

17. In a railway, the combination, with a definite section of the rails having switch, gate, or other movable part related thereto to be set in a definite position, of a motor agent for moving and setting the same, meansactuated by the moving car for initiating the movement of such agent, and a controller actuated independently by the moving car while on such danger-section to prevent the resetting of such part while on the danger-section.

18. In a railway, the combination, with a definite section of the rails having switch, gate, or other movable part related thereto to be set in a definite position, of a motor agent for moving and setting the same, means actuated by the moving car for initiating the movement of such agent, and a controller actuated independently by the moving car while on such danger-section to prevent the resetting of such part while on the danger-section, and means operated by the car after passing the danger-section for releasing such part and restoring the same to its primary position.

19. In a safety switching appliance, the combination, with the movable switch-point, of a part connected therewith and having a lateral projection, a longitudinally-movable shifter having a detachable engagement with such projection, means adapted for actuation IIO by a passing train for reciprocating the I In testimony whereof I have hereunto set shifter adjacent to the projection, means for my hand in the presence of two subscribing 1o helrlllinfi the shifter normally in engagement Witnesses.

Wit t e ro'eotion, a bar for separatin the shifter fr m the projection, and an 6152mm BENJAMIN CARPENTER magnet and circuit for operating the said bar, l/Vitnesses: 7

whereby the movement of the switch-point L. LEE,

is automatically controlled. THOMAS S. CRANE. 

